Having a child is one of the most beautiful parts of life; at the same time, though, it can also be extremely expensive. Going through diapers, bottles and toys can get costly, but not nearly as much as clothing. Before we realize it, our little bundles of joy grow out of their infant clothes and into bigger sizes, meaning we have to buy even more clothes for them before having to repeat the process only a few months later.
If this story sounds all too familiar, it probably means you have a box full of baby clothes sitting somewhere. If they’re taking up too much space, there are several things you can do with them.
1. Keep Them
If you are considering giving your child a sibling or two, keeping this box in a StorageMart or in your basement will keep you from having to spend even more money when number two-or three-pops out. When storing your baby clothes, separate them into air tight bags with labels for each age. That way, you won’t have to dig through a whole box to find age appropriate clothing.
It is always a good idea when buying clothes for your first child to include some gender neutral clothing in case your next child is of the opposite sex. It will save you money and hassle in buying gender specific clothing.
2. Lend or Give Them
If you have siblings or friends who are expecting, they will most likely accept clothes from you. While some people are very picky about buying clothes for their new baby, a lot of people would rather reuse clothes and save money on other important baby items. The best part about this is, if you do happen to have another child, you could always ask for the clothes back.
3. Donate Them
The number of orphans continue to grow every day. Today, there are over 500,000 children who are orphans in the United States, and 100 million in the world. Rates of adoption are not meeting these growing rates of orphans, meaning a lot of orphanages are relying heavily on donations.
You can bring your old, clean baby clothes to a local orphanage for them to use. They will be grateful for your contribution.
4. Reuse Them
Have you ever envied your baby for having the softest, most comfortable clothes ever? Baby clothes are created in such a way to protect your infant’s soft skin while still providing some level of protection. If your baby has grown out of them, use the clothes instead for towels or washcloths, or any other use you can find around the house. This is a great way to save money and go “green,” by using old items in an entirely different way.
5. Sell Them
If your baby expenses are getting a little steep, you can always resell those clothes. You definitely won’t get retail for used clothes, but every little bit will count. Make sure the clothes are clean and stain-free, and bring them to a nearby resale shop. The money you make off those old clothes will help relieve the costs of your baby’s constantly changing needs.
These are only a few of the many options for you to do with your baby clothes. The best idea is to always plan ahead, just in case another pregnancy rolls around in your life. That way you can be prepared and save yourself money on more baby expenses in the long run.
Post By: Jim
I know that this post is old. I know a young girl who just had a baby and she has absolutely nothing for her baby. If you know someone who has old baby clothes sitting around that they would like to donate please contact me.